Bhavnagar Air Quality Index (AQI) & Air Pollution Today

Gujarat, India — Real-time Air Quality Index (AQI) and PM2.5

Bhavnagar AQI Right Now

115

Category: Moderate

Dominant Pollutant: pm10

PM2.5: 57.43 µg/m³

PM10: 121.85 µg/m³

Last updated: 2026-03-24 — Data source: Google Air Quality API (NAQI). Live NAQI values load when you visit the page.

Bhavnagar Pollutant Levels

PollutantConcentration
PM2.557.43 µg/m³
PM10121.85 µg/m³
O₃ (Ozone)2.74 µg/m³
NO₂24.44 µg/m³
SO₂12.23 µg/m³
CO987.59 µg/m³

Health Advisory — Bhavnagar

Moderate: Breathing discomfort to people with lungs, asthma and heart diseases.

Health Impact — Bhavnagar

Cigarette Equivalent: Breathing this air is equivalent to smoking 2.6 cigarettes per day (based on current PM2.5 levels).

Life Expectancy Impact: Sustained exposure at this PM2.5 level could reduce life expectancy by 0.31 years (AQLI estimate, relative to WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³).

Health Recommendations for Bhavnagar

  • General Population: People with respiratory or heart conditions should limit prolonged outdoor exertion.
  • Elderly: Reduce prolonged outdoor activities.
  • Children: Reduce prolonged outdoor play.
  • Lung Disease Patients: Avoid prolonged outdoor exertion.

Understanding Bhavnagar Air Quality

Bhavnagar occupies a unique position on India's air quality map due to its proximity to Alang - the world's largest ship-breaking yard, located roughly 50 kilometres to the southeast along the Gulf of Khambhat coast. At Alang, dozens of decommissioned ocean vessels are beached and dismantled at any given time, releasing heavy metals (lead, cadmium, mercury), asbestos fibres, and combustion byproducts from torch-cutting operations. While the direct plume typically follows coastal winds, southeasterly breezes during winter can carry fine metallic particulates and toxic gases toward the city.

Bhavnagar itself is a centre for diamond polishing - thousands of small workshops cut and polish rough diamonds, generating fine crystalline and silica dust that contributes to localised PM2.5 concentrations in the old-city Kumbharwada and Darbargadh areas. The semi-arid Saurashtra climate (annual rainfall ~550 mm, mostly in July–August) means dry, dusty conditions prevail for eight months of the year. Winter months (November–February) see the worst air quality, with calm winds and cooler temperatures creating shallow inversions over the flat coastal terrain.

The Gulf of Khambhat's tidal mudflats add a natural dust source when exposed at low tide, and salt works on the coast contribute fine particulate salt spray. Post-monsoon October and early November are transitional, while the monsoon itself (July–September) brings the cleanest air as rains suppress dust and flush pollutants from the atmosphere.

Primary Pollution Sources

  • Ship-breaking yard emissions (Alang)
  • Vehicle exhaust
  • Road dust
  • Diamond polishing dust
  • Construction dust
  • Industrial emissions

Geography: Gulf of Khambhat coast in Saurashtra; world's largest ship-breaking yard at Alang 50km away, diamond polishing centre, semi-arid coastal climate

Peak pollution months: November, December, January, February

Frequently Asked Questions — Bhavnagar

Does the Alang ship-breaking yard affect Bhavnagar's air quality?

Yes - the Alang ship-breaking yard, located about 50 km southeast of Bhavnagar, releases heavy metals (lead, cadmium, mercury), asbestos fibres, and combustion gases during vessel dismantling. While prevailing winds usually carry these emissions along the coast, winter southeasterly winds can bring fine metallic particulate matter and toxic fumes toward the city. The long-term health impact on Bhavnagar residents has been a subject of environmental concern.

When is air quality best in Bhavnagar?

The monsoon months of July through September offer the cleanest air, with daily AQI typically in the Good to Satisfactory range as rainfall suppresses both urban and coastal dust. Early October, immediately post-monsoon, is also relatively clean before dry winter conditions establish.

Air Quality in Nearby Cities